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Criteria: These Country Music artists were selected from every realm of country music. They were chosen on talent, influence, impact, lasting popularity, success and uniqueness.

Edited By: Lew
Last Updated: 2017-06-23

Link: https://digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/best ... tists.html


Johnny Cash

1. Johnny Cash
2. Hank Williams
3. Patsy Cline
4. Dolly Parton
5. The Carter Family
6. George Jones
7. Willie Nelson
8. Loretta Lynn
9. Jimmie Rodgers
10. Garth Brooks
11. Merle Haggard
12. Waylon Jennings
13. Bill Monroe
14. Tammy Wynette
15. Conway Twitty
16. Roy Acuff
17. Marty Robbins
18. Flatt & Scruggs
19. Buck Owens
20. The Stanley Brothers / Ralph Stanley
21. Gene Autry
22. Bob Wills
23. Chet Atkins
24. Hank Snow
25. George Strait
26. Lefty Frizzell
27. Vince Gill
28. Ernest Tubb
29. Kenny Rogers
30. Reba McEntire
31. Alison Krauss & Union Station
32. Charley Pride
33. Eddy Arnold
34. Roy Clark
35. Alabama
36. Randy Travis
37. Kitty Wells
38. The Judds
39. Dwight Yoakam
40. Trisha Yearwood
41. Alan Jackson
42. Tanya Tucker
43. Tom T. Hall
44. Glen Campbell
45. Shania Twain
46. The Sons of the Pioneers
47. "Tennessee" Ernie Ford
48. Patty Loveless
49. Charlie Rich
50. Slim Whitman
51. Brad Paisley
52. Jim Reeves
53. Faron Young
54. The Oak Ridge Boys
55. Martina McBride
56. Faith Hill
57. Porter Wagoner
58. June Carter Cash
59. Tim McGraw
60. Mel Tillis
61. Ricky Skaggs
62. "Little" Jimmy Dickens
63. The Gatlin Brothers
64. Connie Smith
65. Mary Chapin Carpenter
66. Brooks & Dunn
67. Jean Shepard
68. Toby Keith
69. Gillian Welch
70. Dixie Chicks
71. Hank Williams Jr.
72. Cowboy Copas
73. Ray Price
74. Travis Tritt
75. Roger Miller
76. Mickey Gilley
77. Patsy Montana
78. Ronnie Milsap
79. Keith Urban
80. Kenny Chesney
81. Dottie West
82. The Statler Brothers
83. Clint Black
84. Lee Ann Womack
85. Bobby Bare
86. The Louvin Brothers
87. The Blue Sky Boys
88. Leann Rimes
89. Del McCoury Band
90. Rosanne Cash
91. Don Gibson
92. The Kendalls
93. Montgomery Gentry
94. Emmylou Harris
95. Blake Shelton
96. Lynn Anderson
97. Diamond Rio
98. Jerry Reed
99. David Allan Coe
100. Boxcar Willie

Honerable Mentions

Carrie Underwood
Florida Georgia Line
Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan
Lady A (Lady Antebellum)
Eric Church
Chris Stapleton
Little Big Town
Dierks Bentley
Heartland
Rascal Flatts
Rodney Atkins
Minnie Pearl
Moe Bandy
Big & Rich
Sara Evans
Floyd Cramer
The Band Perry
Shelby Lynne
Sammi Smith
Earl Thomas Conley
Deanna Carter
Rhonda Vincent
kd lang
Rascal Flatts
Crystal Gale
Rodney Crowell
Nickel Creek
Barbara Mandrell
Shooter Jennings
Lyle Lovett
Gretchen Wilson
Bobbie Gentry
Wynonna Judd
Gary Allan
Terri Clark
Brenda Lee
Shenandoah
Jo Dee Messina
Lee Greenwood
Zac Brown Band
Mavericks
Ferlin Husky
Joe Diffie
Tracy Byrd
Sawyer Brown
Kris Kristoferson
Donna Fargo
Wanda Jackson
Restless Heart
Lonestar
Cole Swindell
Charlie Daniels
Johnny Paycheck
Marty Stuart
Mark Chesnutt
Iris Dement
Cindy Walker
Trace Adkins
Josh Turner
Steve Wariner
Ricky Van Shelton
Nanci Griffith
Joe Nichols
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Lucinda Williams
John Anderson
Aaron Tippin
Mindy Smith
Pure Prairie League
Pam Tillis
Sugarland
Ryan Adams
Eddie Rabbitt
Allison Moorer
Billy Ray Cyrus
George Hamilton, IV
Anthony Smith

So, how's this for a compromise with the last discussion on the old forum?

1. Johnny Cash
2. Hank Williams
3. Jimmie Rodgers
4. George Jones
5. The Carter Family
6. Willie Nelson
7. Dolly Parton
8. Patsy Cline
9. Garth Brooks
10. Merle Haggard
11. Bill Monroe
12. Loretta Lynn
13. Waylon Jennings
14. Tammy Wynette
15. Roy Acuff
16. Buck Owens
17. Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys
18. Eddy Arnold
19. Conway Twitty
20. Gene Autry
21. Kenny Rogers
22. Ernest Tubb
23. Marty Robbins
24. Hank Snow
25. Flatt & Scruggs
26. The Stanley Brothers / Ralph Stanley
27. George Strait
28. Reba McEntire
29. Chet Atkins
30. Lefty Frizzell

Where is Taylor Swift?

I like some of those moves. I'm wondering how the Carters vs. Nelson/Parton breaks down. The Carters' influence is massive, of course, but is it enough to compensate for the latter two's leads in acclaim and popularity? It's very possible.

My knee-jerk reaction to George Jones being that high was "nah," but I could be underrating his influence. So many country artists cite him as a direct influence.

I could see Strait higher, I think. Though his popularity isn't as crossover as some others, in the country world he's a total titan -- with great acclaim and solid influence, too.

All in all, looks good.

I'm not the most knowledgeable, I just shuffled the names around based on the last lists and comments. Taylor wasn't added yet, and I wonder if she should be top 30 on a country list, how much of her importance is from her country music and how much from her pop? Where do you see her?

On the Carters, the consensus was that they should be above Parton, Nelson could perhaps be ahead.